Blood Red
by vigaku
Summary: Itachi is a vampire, Sasuke a hunter. But when Sasuke fails to kill Itachi, he falls into despair, wishing for the man to take his life. And that he does, but not in the way Sasuke had intended... - itachixsasuke,vamp,yaoi,incest - work in progress
1. Watching Me

Itachi is a vampire, Sasuke a hunter. But when Sasuke fails to kill Itachi, he falls into despair, wishing for the man to take his life. And that he does, but not in the way Sasuke had intended.

Warnings: yaoi, incest. Don't like it? You can see the back button.

Disclaimer: Naruto and characters © Masashi Kishimoto.

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CHAPTER ONE: WATCHING ME

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"Isn't someone missing me?" Sasuke sung along almost silently to his Evanescence CD, stashing some oversized throwing stars and two guns into his pockets. With an unexpressed reluctance, he shut off the stereo and headed for the door. He pulled on his black trench coat and stepped out into the street.

He moved along with as much stealth as his mortal body allowed him, keeping to the shadows as much as he could to avoid suspicion for being out at such a late hour. Confrontations he could handle, but surely didn't need. His eyes flitted about the streets, checking each alleyway as he passed it until at last he found his first 'playmate'. Pained, pleading whimpers came from a darkened side-street, and Sasuke entered without even the slightest hesitation. He narrowed his eyes as he watched the vampire sink his teeth into the girl's neck; into wounds that were already there. He wasn't just trying to feed, or to kill her, he was playing with her; making her suffer. And worse than that, he knew Sasuke was there, watching. He wanted the boy to watch. Sasuke knew this too, but it was always the same. If they didn't just attack him, they liked to put on a little show in hopes of scaring him out of his wits before draining him too. Little did they know that Sasuke was seldom disturbed by what they did. At least not any more. "Leave her alone." Sasuke commanded, in a voice that invited no contestation.

The vampire let go of the woman, watching her as she sunk slowly to the floor, her breathing rapid. He turned slowly to Sasuke with a sly grin, his lips still stained with blood, features brightening so that he almost looked even human. "Or what?" He asked. There was that exact contestation Sasuke desired. It was all he needed as an excuse to beat the living - or dead - crap out of any vampire, not that he really needed an excuse anyway.

The girl was forgotten about now, soaking in a pool of crimson that was her own blood, her breathing so quiet now that Sasuke couldn't hear it, and she might have already been dead. His attention went back to the vampire's face almost instantly. Glaring back at the vampire's amused face, he took a step forward and pressed a finger to his head, "Or this will no longer be attached to that good-for-nothing body of yours."

The vampire laughed scornfully at him, and it took Sasuke a great deal of effort not to become annoyed at this vampire who obviously seemed to think a lot of himself. He grasped the hilt of the sword that rested on his back and pulled it from its sheath to slice across the vampire's neck in one swift motion. His features remained blank as its head fell to the floor, body following shortly after. He cast another glance at the woman and turned away. "I'm sorry." He muttered as he left the alley. The woman was already dead.

Sasuke stopped, sighing as he saw a gang of thugs surrounding an old man, one holding a gun to his head, frisking through his clothes until he found a wallet.

'_That's not my department..._' He told himself, but somehow couldn't help feeling that he should help.

He walked calmly over, pulled one man away from the group and punched him hard in the face and he crumpled to the ground, "What a waste of time..." He mumbled as his eyes cast over his unconscious form, "Hey!" He yelled, making the other four turn around to face him.

-

Itachi put away his katana as he looked back at another vampire's body turning to ashes, "Another one down." He walked over to the vampire's victim and looked over her. Acknowledging that she was okay, he turned to leave.

"H-hey! Don't leave me!" She yelled after him.

Rolling his eyes, he turned back to face her, "He's gone now."

She stepped back, "B-but... You... You're the same!" Her eyes widened.

Itachi shook his head lightly, and gave a quiet laugh to himself, _No trust in this world._ He held back his urge to glare at her, "I just saved your life. You should be thankful for that. Now go." The woman nodded vigorously and did as she was told, running off out of the alley and probably into more trouble, but that wasn't Itachi's problem. He left the alley too, looking around a little before his eyes rested upon a gang of five or so rowdy drunks stood around some other man, one on the floor - probably too drunk and unconscious, another stood defiantly in front of them all.

With such movements unseen by anybody mortal, he moved so that he was behind the group of men, in shadow, even the paleness of his skin unseen in the darkness. None of them were vampires, that much he knew. But this boy, why was he standing up to them all? Did he expect to fight them, and to win? He watched in silence as two of them seemed to struggle together - the boy and one of the drunkards, until the man was sent to the floor, unconscious as the other who already lay in the wet.

He raised an eyebrow in wonder as Sasuke turned a glare in his direction. He pondered that perhaps he had seen him somehow; maybe from the glint of a car light he'd somehow not even noticed, or the shimmering of the light rain that had started up again. Seemingly without so much as a second though, Sasuke slashed into the darkness with his sword. He moved at such a fast pace that for a second, Itachi was somewhat disorientated, and left wondering how the boy - a mortal - could be so fast that the movement was almost unseen by him. Taking no time in clutching at his own sword, he easily parried the blow, and felt fingers grasp around his arm, "Well y'know, it's people like you who I usually go for." Sasuke smirked and pulled on the vampire's arm, drawing him out into the light. He took out his gun, pointing it at the vampire's head.

"Why, thank you." Itachi replied with a curt bow, mirroring Sasuke's own smirk. His gaze shifted to the gun, "You intend to kill me with that?"

Sasuke blinked, looking confused for a moment, but soon his face returned to its arrogant, smirking normality, "That's what I'm here for, jerk."

The gang had taken the liberty of scampering away, since neither of the two seemed to be occupied with them anymore. Sasuke glanced around their surroundings for a second before his eyes rested back on the vampire.

" So hasty... You don't know anything about me, and already you want to kill me..? That's the trouble with you hunters." Itachi dashed to the side and took the gun. He swung it in front of his face and then pointed it at the startled hunter, "Nice gun..." He commented, taking the time to glance at it. He gave a slight nod in Sasuke's direction, "Nice sword, too."

With an annoyed glare, Sasuke pulled the sword from his back and rested its tip on the ground. Of course it was a nice sword; it was his sword, and he'd settle for nothing less than perfect when it came to his weaponry. It was a large sword, a chunky blade with an intricately designed hilt; nothing like the vampire's that was so thin and frail looking it was a wonder it managed to stop Sasuke's own sword. He thought that it could have been the vampire's own strength more than the sword's, but he didn't really care. "Sure is. And what makes you think you should have the pleasure of being spared? You're a vampire, just like all the others out there." His glare didn't falter as he swung for the vampire with the heavy sword.

Itachi took out his katana and stopped the slash again with it, and Sasuke noticed with something like satisfaction that the vampire did in fact have some trouble, though still managing to make it look effortless for the most part. "I'm not like other vampires; I don't kill the innocent." Itachi pushed back at the sword and stepped back as Sasuke regained his footing, pointing the gun at the younger male's head. "And although _I_ can't die from this…" He trailed off with a smirk, watching in amusement as the boy's eyes widened ever so slightly. He didn't really intend to kill him with a gun. He hated guns, they seemed like such a cowards way out. And of course, as they'd both already clarified; they couldn't kill vampires.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed again and he withdrew his other gun, pointing it back in return, his sword still held tightly in his other hand, "C'mon, you can grovel better than that." He smirked as he replaced his sword to its rightful place on his back, switching the gun to his better hand.

Itachi's face remained stoic, his features so still that he appeared almost like some majestic statue, standing in the middle of the rain, unmarred, perfect by all means. Sasuke watched the vampire's eyes travel over him for a moment, and watched as a smirk filtered back onto that porcelain face. The action was beginning to irritate Sasuke, "I don't grovel." The vampire stated and stepped forward until their noses were almost touching, knowing all too well that the boy wouldn't back off, "I don't need to. I could kill you right now if I wanted to." He lightly poked the gun into his stomach a bit to point out its presence.

Sasuke spun around, snatching the gun away to point them both at him and shot him in the stomach with one, "Fuck you." He almost growled in his aggravation. He put the other back away, keeping the other pointed at the vampire's head.

Itachi winced for a second and then resumed his glare, "You want to kill me that badly?" He took out his sword once again. That was uncalled for. "Try it."

"Asshole..." Sasuke ground out through clenched teeth and shot at his head.

Itachi brought his katana up and deflected the bullet back at the hunter's leg. "You'll still try to kill me...with that?" He asked, looking a little amused. He dashed up behind the boy, who was now staggering a little to regain his balance and wincing from being, in effect, shot in the leg. He pressed the sword to Sasuke's neck, "I could turn you, you know. I could give you more power..." He frowned in irritation as Sasuke started to struggle, kicking him in the shins, "Or I can have your head off before you have the chance to even move, so don't try shooting me again." He warned. Even though the boy couldn't kill him with it, it still hurt like hell, though he wouldn't admit it. He pushed the sword a little harder, but still not enough to draw blood, knowing he'd be too tempted by it. He didn't know why, but he didn't want to kill the boy. He was a hunter after all, so he could perhaps forgive him for trying to kill him.

Sasuke cringed as the cold metal pressed harder against his neck and he stopped his writhing, "I'd rather die." Without the slightest hesitation, he pushed a throwing star hard into Itachi's stomach, cutting his own hand with the force.

Itachi winced again and stumbled backwards, slicing Sasuke's neck only a little as the blade ran across his throat. He reached a hand down to the sharp metallic object imbedded into his flesh and pulled it out, eyes shut tight momentarily and he gave a pained shudder as he dropped it onto the ground, "I think it's what you want, really." Itachi locked eyes once more with Sasuke, much to the boy's annoyance, "You can't tell me that such an offer of power isn't tempting."

Sasuke brought a hand up to his neck, the wound stinging in a way not much different than a paper cut, "You just don't get it, do you? I'd sooner scoop out my own eyes with a plastic spoon." His words seemed to drip with venomous hatred. He pulled out both guns and shot relentlessly at the vampire, even though he knew it was no use, _I'm wasting ammo... What's the point?_ He thought to himself as he continued to shoot.

"What a waste." Swinging his sword faster than Sasuke was able to see, Itachi managed to deflect some of the bullets and he ran at Sasuke, punching him hard in the stomach, sending him stumbling back from the blow, "If you don't want to die, I suggest you go home."

Sasuke dropped his guns to the ground and pulled out his sword, "Dream on." He slashed at the vampire, spinning around to slash again when he predictably missed. Itachi parried the blow again with his own sword and pushed him backwards.

"I don't really want to kill you, hunter. It would be such a waste of talent." He sighed and jumped back, "But if you persist, I won't hold back any longer."

_Hold back..? No way, he's bluffing! How strong can he be? _The sense of hopelessness overwhelmed him and he stopped, glaring a little but only to stave off his despondency, "W-why?" He stammered, mentally cursing himself for doing so, "It's obvious you could just kill me, so why don't you? Why don't you just do it and put an end to my meaningless life?" His sword dropped to the ground with a loud clatter. He dropped to the floor beside his sword and reached out to tentatively touch its blade, drawing a finger along its sharp edge to leave a trail of blood behind on the cold steel.

Itachi blinked, a little shocked at the boy's outburst, but he soon forced his face to the usual placid mask of non-caring. "I don't kill because I can. I kill when I have to." He put his sword away, feeling - or hoping - that Sasuke wouldn't try to attack him anymore, "I didn't want to be like this, you know." He said, crouching down next to Sasuke.

Sasuke looked up at Itachi, eyes without emotion, "What if I wanted you to?" He asked in all seriousness, pointedly holding out his bloodied finger as if to lure the vampire into compliance.

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So many stories on the go... But this is my latest attraction. I was drawn to the idea. Another of my stories I'll have to thank Niiro lots for! Inspiration and all. :) And why was Sasuke listening to Evanescence? Dunno, I was probably just listening to that song when I started writing. Give me some nice reviews and I'll put up chapter two! 


	2. Wanting Me

So, will Itachi accept Sasuke's offer and drain him, leaving him for dead? Sorry to dampen your spirits (if you hate Sasuke or something) but that wouldn't make for a good storyline, would it? And necrophilia is out of the question. Anyway, what **will** Itachi do, I wonder? Everyone's a bit confused as to why Sasuke wanted to die so badly... Oh, he's a confused little muppet. For now you'll just have to remain confused. :)

Warnings: yaoi, incest. Don't like it? You can see the back button.

Disclaimer: Naruto and characters © Masashi Kishimoto.

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CHAPTER TWO: WANTING ME

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Itachi stepped closer to him, "You want me to kill you?" He bared his fangs a little, unintentionally, but of course Sasuke noticed it. He dropped his head when Itachi crouched down beside him, "I kill vampires. And the occasional criminal, if I need to feed. In fact, I'm pretty thirsty right now--"

"Why waste time looking? Is my blood not good enough for you?" Sasuke spat, glaring daggers at the vampire before him. He blinked confusedly when his vision blurred and he felt something wet and warm slip down his cheek. He quickly wiped it away with the back of one hand and gazed down at the cold dark ground, wishing a hole would just appear and swallow him.

That would solve his problems. That would end the pain.

"You really want me to?" Itachi moved closer. He pressed his fangs to the skin on Sasuke's neck, relishing in the boy's warmth and barely suppressing a shudder.

Sasuke flinched at the touch. More tears ran down his face and he closed his eyes tightly, trying to stop them from falling, "Do what you want..." His voice was barely a whisper, "I... I've already let them down."

Itachi backed off ever so slightly at hearing this, "...Let who down?" He asked, staring into the boy's eyes but he wouldn't look back. He let out a silent sigh when he realised he wasn't about to get a reply. Sasuke shuffled uncomfortably on the ground, still avoiding his gaze. "You want the strength to kill vampires..? Then become one." A part of him hated himself for saying this. To turn somebody... To change their life so drastically, could he live with that feeling? But then, another part of his mind spurred him onwards, telling him it'd be fun not to be alone for once; to have someone to teach; to be his. But the boy... He reminded him so much of someone whose memory he simply could not recall, "Do you feel you've let down your loved ones?"

Those words seemed to hit a nerve, and suddenly Sasuke brought up his head to glare into the vampire's eyes, "Shut up!" He got to his feet, dragging his sword along with him, "What the hell would you know?" He replaced it to its place on his back and stormed off towards the large bridge connecting their city to the next.

Itachi was a little shocked from what was now the boy's second outburst, and subconsciously wondered if he was schizophrenic or something. He let out a cynical chuckle, "More than you think I know..." He muttered quietly, though not directing the words at the boy now huffily striding his way across the bridge with loud thudding footsteps. Not one to give up so easily, he stalked after the boy, and had caught up with him in seconds. Sasuke stopped and turned with an annoyed glower.

"Why are you following me?" He yelled out, a little startled at the loudness of his own voice against the general quietness of the town and the slowly moving current somewhere below them.

"Making sure you don't do anything stupid." He raised an eyebrow.

Sasuke turned away from him, frown still in place. He stared into the now darkened waters of the river and in it, the reflection of the full moon, "Like I need your pity."

Itachi shook his head lightly with a disappointed sigh. Maybe it was himself that the boy reminded him of. He backed off a little and vanished into the darkness, reappearing on a nearby rooftop, still watching over him. Apart from himself, though, Itachi knew there weren't many dangers around this town, other than the vampires. But it was more than obvious that the boy could handle them. Since it was night, there weren't even any cars there. People rarely tended to pass between cities in the 'wee hours of the morning', after all.

As if sensing Itachi's thoughts, a spitefully loud blaring car horn drew Sasuke's attention from the water and he turned briskly, shielding his eyes with both hands from the car's bright headlights. It stopped just beside him and a door was pushed open.

He felt a hand clamp over his mouth as he was dragged inside and the door was shut after him. He kicked the person in the leg and he cried out, but didn't let go. Sasuke ceased the opportunity to open the door to escape but the car was already moving at an incredible speed. Thinking better of such an action, he shut it again quickly and glanced around, thrashing a little, if only to delay the inevitable, trying to form a plan but before he even had time to think, he was knocked unconscious.

Itachi did nothing but watch as the boy was taken away, _Perhaps I overestimated him. _He thought dryly, and a nagging feeling told him that he should help. He knew it wasn't his problem, or even any of his business but already he felt a slight attachment to the boy that he couldn't explain. He jumped from the roof and silently followed the car, jumping stealthily onto its roof when he was close enough to avoid running all the way to wherever it was they were headed.

The car finally rolled to a halt outside of a large old-looking warehouse. It was obvious that it hadn't been used in some time, but what could they possibly want with it? And with Sasuke...

Itachi jumped off the roof of the car and into the shadows again as they took Sasuke out of the car and dragged him carelessly into the warehouse. He slipped inside, silently laughing at their lack of security and watched from a distance as Sasuke was tied securely to a chair in the middle of the room. Itachi's attention was redirected by voices.

"With him finally out of the way, that's a lot less for the boss to deal with..." One of them said. Another nodded his head.

"So, how are we gonna do this?" Asked a female voice.

All three looked dumbfounded, "I don't know what you guys think, but I say we wait until he's awake. It's no fun if he can't feel the pain." Came the first voice again.

_So they just want another hunter out of the way..._ He thought with a slight glare, but still no intentions of moving. Sasuke woke up with a groan, his head throbbing in pain. He dazedly glanced around, his vision blurry from having just woken up. He forced himself awake - much against his body's will - when he noticed that he didn't know where he was, or who the menacing people stood around him were. Picking out the one he deemed to look the easiest intimidated, he glared heatedly at him, "What the fuck's going on?" He demanded.

"Nice to see you're awake as last." The woman commented snidely, seeming to be a little amused at Sasuke only concentrating on the weakest of the three.

"I suggest you untie me, right now." He decided to redirect his glare at her.

She laughed in response, "How very charming. But it's a shame that you really don't have the upper hand this time, slayer." She said the last word with distaste. Sasuke's glare didn't falter, "Don't you look at me like that, you little wretch!" She ground out and Sasuke gave a satisfied smirk, knowing that he'd pissed her off with such a simple action. She stepped forwards and backhanded him across the face, leaving a red mark.

The smirk stayed plastered on his face, and he didn't hesitate to meet her gaze, "You got guts, I'll give you that. But that was a shitty backfist."

"Wh-wha? How dare you judge me?" The woman's eyes narrowed again and she punched Sasuke in the stomach hard. He coughed, winded by the blow but still in no serious harm.

"I hope you kick better than you punch." He told her, only riling her further. To Sasuke, physical pain wasn't much to handle. Although he knew that if he managed to break free anytime soon, he was wearing himself down more than her.

Itachi's anger was rising by the second, though he couldn't explain why. He didn't know how much longer he could stand to watch this; it was so pointless. Neither of them were getting anywhere, and of course there was the chance of that bitch scarring the boy's beautiful face. Itachi shook his head, confused at that thought, _Beautiful? Strange choice of wording._ He thought, though not denying the boy was attractive. As another punch was delivered to Sasuke's face, he finally felt that was enough.

Sasuke continued to smirk through her assaults, hard as it was, and still angered her more. The chair flew back and Sasuke's head met with hard concrete after the woman kicked him in the chest. Sasuke flinched, his head spinning and the chair was suddenly pulled back up, not helping his dizzy spell at all. He let his head drop down as he tried to regain any rational thoughts. When the dizziness faded and he brought his head back up, the woman's fangs were bared, and her dun-white teeth seemed somewhat stained against her pale skin.

She leaned forward over Sasuke until their faces were barely millimeters apart, "It would be so much fun to drain you, hunter... Or better yet, to turn you."

Sasuke's eyes widened as she said this; he knew he couldn't escape, and whatever they decided to do to him, he couldn't do anything about it. His hands and legs were bound so tightly that he couldn't even try to bring out a weapon.

"So that's your game, vampire?" Sasuke heard a familiar voice and strained to run round, but Itachi stepped into vision instead. Sasuke couldn't help but feel annoyed.

"Are you following me again?" He asked with something like contempt, "I can handle myself just fine, you know."

Itachi smirked at hearing that. If only the boy could see himself, and hear how much that sounded like a desperate lie to try and save his pride... "Then by all means, handle yourself." He turned to the woman, "I do believe you wanted something with him..?"

Sasuke growled in annoyance, knowing that Itachi had gotten the better of him, "Fuck no!"

He pushed himself off the floor, this time lifting his head so that he didn't hit it off the ground. He writhed, struggling to free himself, but as he suspected, it was no use, _Shit! I won't let them... And even if they do, I'll never work for them!_ He stilled as a vivid image of himself jumping from the bridge entered his mind.

The woman walked over to a panic-stricken Sasuke. She knelt down on all fours to reach Sasuke's face. Her eyes seemed to glow red as she leaned in towards Sasuke's neck. He threw himself over, away from her, but only ended up with the chair leaning painfully on his arm.

_How're you handling yourself, now?_ Itachi raised an eyebrow, wondering if he should help, even though the boy seemed to want nothing of the sort.

"Get the fuck away from me!" Sasuke yelled, his voice wavering a little in fear. He could handle the pain, or any insults they could hurl at him... He was willing to put up with anything, so long as he remained human. The woman grabbed his throat and hoisted him and the chair up. Still, Itachi did nothing but watch.

"Nowhere left to run, hunter." She sneered.

After a last struggle, Sasuke was suddenly eerily still. He glared at the woman with a look of pure hatred as unwanted tears welled up in his eyes. His gaze turned to despair when he looked at Itachi, "P-please..."

Itachi gave a triumphant smirk and rushed forward to punch the woman square in the face. She was knocked out instantly, which of course Itachi found a little boring, but at least there were two more and he hoped at least they'd be something of a challenge. He took out his katana and cut Sasuke free with one clean swipe of the sword, "Don't be so stubborn in future and you won't get so close to fangs." He said, as though he were the voice of wisdom. Itachi said nothing more to the boy, and instead contented himself with the two remaining vampires.

Sasuke stayed silent as more tears ran down his cheeks. He didn't bother to wipe them away; there was no point now. They'd seen him, all of them. He hated to cry, despised it. It made him feel weak. _But_ _I am weak._ He told himself. He knew that he owed the vampire his life now, though he'd never admit it, and it wasn't very comforting at all.

Without a sound, he left the warehouse, sprinting as soon as he was outside, and stopping at the middle of the bridge. Feeling every bit as worthless as he'd always been led to believe, he collapsed to the floor, eyes glazed over nonchalantly. He pulled out another throwing star from inside his coat and a solitary tear dripped down onto the cold metal as he surveyed it, _I was forced to beg, like a fucking dog! I can't even watch out for myself anymore! How am I supposed to avenge them this way? They were only puppets of the vampire I'm after and... And I couldn't even beat them! This is the only way... _He held it to his wrist, _I'm sorry. _He pushed in hard, severing arteries and veins. Blood leaked out and ran across the pavement, staining his clothes where he sat, "I was useless... To the end." He fell backwards, lying on the freezing concrete floor of the bridge.

_And that's all I'd ever have been..._

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Ooh, there it is! Haha, chapter two done, faster than I expected. Nevermind, it's not like that's a bad thing. I look forward to your reviews! Constructive criticism is good, you know! 


	3. Saving Me xPART ONEx

It's been a long time, hasn't it? I'm sorry to everyone who reads this story and has been waiting for the next chapter for...oh, a long time. But here it is at last. Thank you to anyone who's still reading! To anyone that's sussed the pattern in the chapter titles, well done. For future reference: There WILL be slash in this story, but with this only being nothing graphic. (I can't write that stuff anyway, it makes me all embarrassed!) But if I do decide to write the scene in all its lemony glory, I'll post it up at adult fanfiction for you to read. Now, on with the story!

Warnings: yaoi, incest. Don't like it? You can see the back button.

Disclaimer: Naruto and characters © Masashi Kishimoto.

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CHAPTER THREE: SAVING ME (part one)

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Sasuke felt his life draining out through his wrist. It flowed out along the concrete, starting to form a puddle around him, and all he could do was lie there, soaking in his own blood. It felt...nice, almost. Leaving all these troubles behind, nothing more to worry about. Would he go to Hell, he wondered? Was there any afterlife fitting for someone as useless as he had been? He pulled his wrist up and rested it on his stomach, and smiled bitterly as a chilled wind whipped at his face. He couldn't really feel it – he was numb from the pain.

The smile faded when a face entered his blurred vision. It loomed over him, a blank and cynical mask, pale as the moon and just as ethereal. Perhaps it was the moonlight that gave the vampire such an odd sort of glow. The pain had subsided now, Sasuke lost in his musings as he quietly watched the vampire's face.

Itachi knelt down beside him. He had been watching the boy's face at first; his change in expression from mild amusement, to confusion, and then emptiness. But now he was looking at something else; the wrist that Sasuke had draped over himself. Itachi could smell the sweet stench of the boy's blood from the warehouse – it was the reason he left – but it didn't entice him now. There was another, stronger feeling. He was worried for the boy.

His eyes travelled back to Sasuke's. It startled Itachi when he saw that Sasuke was still watching him. Only a few minutes ago, the boy seemed to despise the very sight of him. That thought brought Itachi back to his senses. If he left Sasuke for too long, he would certainly die. He had to make sure that it was what the boy wanted; he couldn't simply sit back and watch as he died.

Itachi found himself speechless, and that didn't happen very often. His face, though, was still a perfect mask of indifference. Perhaps that was why Sasuke was looking at him, so mesmerised. It was probably rather strange that someone should be so calm right now. Or at least, Itachi appeared to be calm.

A voice screamed in his mind for him to do something, and he opened his mouth to speak, not caring what he said but hoping that it was the right thing. He hoped for some – for any – response from the boy.

"Is this what you want, slayer?" He asked. His voice was clear in the silence of the night, and he saw Sasuke start slightly when he spoke. "Do you want to die?" He reiterated, not all too sure if he should expect a response at all. He wasn't even sure if the boy could hear him any more.

Silence followed. Almost a minute had passed and Sasuke said nothing. Itachi was growing increasingly worried. Every second seemed extended: wasted as more blood seeped out through his wrist. He was about to speak again, he wanted to urge the boy to talk, but Sasuke got there first.

"It...h-hurts..." He mumbled, his voice barely audible, and Itachi had to strain his ears to hear it. "Hurts..."

Itachi nodded, "Yes." He answered bluntly. Carefully, he took hold of the boy's arm and turned it over to look at his wrist. He'd lost so much blood now. His shirt was drenched in the crimson liquid that had started to drip down onto Itachi's hands too. "You've cut very deep."

Sasuke didn't like feeling so helpless. He couldn't even move now, as Itachi took his wrist. A smile spread across his lips again, "A-are you thirsty?" He asked, pretending to be amused when really he was petrified. He didn't want to die, what was he doing? Why had he been so stupid? There was nothing he could do now. The vampire would drain whatever blood was still flowing to his arm; he would take his life, and there would be no more pain for Sasuke. He didn't expect to see the vampire shake his head, a solemn look gracing his pale features.

"I'm not." He answered, once again in few words. "You must tell me, slayer, as you don't have long now..." He began, ensuring he had Sasuke's full attention. He did, but Sasuke was blinking rapidly. Itachi doubted he could see very well, and he was probably very dizzy. "Do you really want to die? I can save you." He offered, his voice neither persuasive nor vindictive.

Sasuke wanted to say no. He didn't want to be helped by a vampire. He wanted to be taken to a hospital, treated by doctors, as he should be. But he knew as well as the vampire did that he didn't have the time for that. He would die before he could arrive at the hospital, and everything would have been pointless. He didn't know how the vampire intended to save him, but it wasn't his place to wonder. Time was scarce; he would have to make a decision now, before it was too late.

Slowly, he shook his head, "I...I don't want to die." He mumbled, and averted his gaze. He didn't want to look at the vampire now. He was probably smiling smugly, knowing that now Sasuke owed him his life. Sasuke didn't know whether he'd made the right decision, but he certainly hoped he had.

The same thoughts passed through the vampire's mind. Was this the right thing to do? Yes, the slayer wouldn't die, but could he live as a vampire? He might grow to despise his own existence, and wish even more than ever that he were dead. Itachi shook his head lightly, telling himself that this was okay. The boy had asked for his help; the consequences were not Itachi's fault now.

He looked at Sasuke's wrist, which he was still holding. He wouldn't have to bite him, at least. "It will hurt, at first... But it will be over soon." He told the boy, trying to assure him, or more so himself. With that warning, he lowered his mouth to the wound, closing his lips around it and he began to draw the remaining blood from the boy's body.

An indescribable sensation came over the vampire and for that moment he was numb from euphoria, as Sasuke was numb from blood loss and pain. He started to get carried away and it took a pained yelp to draw the vampire back to his senses and he quickly pulled back, shocked at himself. He had almost killed the boy he was trying to save!

Sasuke looked terrified, white as a sheet, weak and drained of blood. Itachi didn't apologise - what would be the point? Sasuke couldn't hear him. Using his sharp fangs, he bit into his own wrist, letting his blood trickle from it. He quickly held the wound up to Sasuke's mouth, loathe to waste what was now necessary to someone's life.

At first, Sasuke closed his mouth in protest. He was so weak, though, that he couldn't keep it closed for long, and Itachi watched as Sasuke was forced to swallow the blood pooling in his mouth. That mouthful was all it took: Sasuke was hooked. His motions grew faster suddenly, and after a few more gulps he brought up his hands to pull Itachi's wrist closer.

The vampire winced when Sasuke sucked hard at the wound, drawing out blood faster, but he didn't pull back – didn't even think about it. He could withstand the pain for now. It wasn't long before Sasuke started to get more vigorous though, almost violent. Itachi felt himself growing weak, the pain immense. He told the boy to stop, but he wasn't listening.

"Stop it, that's enough!" He commanded again, this time harsher and at last Sasuke took notice, eyes flitting up to meet the vampire's.

Sasuke's eyes widened, as if he had only just realised what he was doing. He forcefully pushed Itachi back in anger and frustration, and he sat up, head spinning momentarily. Itachi looked on silently, allowing the boy some reprieve. Sasuke's mouth was red with blood – Itachi's blood – and the metallic taste made him want to gag. Disgusted with himself, he spat at the ground and wiped his mouth with the back of one hand. Still, Itachi simply watched, waiting silently. He didn't falter in his neutral expression when Sasuke shot him a heated glare. There was more than anger written in Sasuke's features. Usually so quick to speak; to complain or yell, Sasuke was silent now. He was confused. He didn't know what to say, because he didn't really know what just happened. He wanted it all to be some sick dream. He wanted to hear that he was not – would never be – a vampire.

His contempt faded as he stared at Itachi with questioning eyes, and after a long silence, Itachi spoke.

"I know what you want me to say." He said calmly, "And I'm not going to say it. I won't lie to you; that was the easy part." Somehow his voice served to soothe the bewildered boy somewhat. It was relieving to be told the truth for once, as cynical as it was, and as much as Sasuke hated it.

Itachi stayed quiet now, watching Sasuke's gaze drop to the floor, "What do you mean?" He asked, and swallowed hard. He knew what Itachi meant. Still, he wanted to hear it from the vampire's lips.

Itachi sighed. Comforting others wasn't exactly his forte, but he would have to try. "I turned you, I'm sure you're aware of that much." Sasuke looked back up at him and Itachi seemed anxious as he continued, "Your human body is yet to die. It will be...a painful process. After that, you'll be a vampire, completely."

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Aieeeeeeeee! Har, so there you go! I promise I won't leave the next chapter as long as this one took to churn out, and sorry it's rather short! As always, reviews make me work faster. Constructive criticism is nice, too. I like to know how to make my stories better for the readers! So leave me some comments, tell me what you think. ;P 


	4. Saving Me xPART TWOx

Yeah, it's me again with another update! Why so fast? Well, I had no internet for a while, so I used the PC to listen to music and write stories in that time. Anyway, I should hope there's no complaining about it..! Haha, and sorry that some people might not have been able to comment on the last chapter, because I had a "chapter 3" uploaded before (it was an author update). But everyone should be able to comment now. Thanks to all who did review and also everyone who read the last chapter. :) This is mostly just some little things to push the plot forwards a bit. No major revelations except...the YAOI! Muahahaha! Well, Itachi is a bit too caring for my liking in this chapter... But since he's the instigator, he needs to be.

Warnings: yaoi, incest. Don't like it? You can see the back button.

Disclaimer: Naruto and its characters © Masashi Kishimoto.

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CHAPTER FOUR: SAVING ME (part two)

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_"...You'll be a vampire, completely."_

Those words echoed through Sasuke's mind, but he didn't understand. He didn't want to accept it. The words became distant, until they faded into silence along with everything else.

"How can you say that so calmly?" He asked, his voice a croaky whisper, strained with the tears that stung at his eyes. He was frowning at the floor, and Itachi couldn't bring himself to answer. It was a mystery even to the vampire himself how he could keep so calm, and always tell the brutal truth without batting an eyelid. Instead of replying, he waited for Sasuke to speak again, but he didn't. He just pulled himself up to his feet, swaying unsteadily for a moment and Itachi almost rushed to his aid, but thought better of it.

And without a word, he stumbled off back into the town. Itachi was walking right behind him, and not bothering to try and hide that fact. He expected Sasuke to turn around and say something, but he just carried on walking with fumbled steps, acting oblivious to the world.

It only took a few minutes for Itachi to figure out where the boy was headed. The logical place, where most people probably would go after such an ordeal: he was heading home. Soon after he had figured that out, Itachi fell into step with the younger male. "Where are you going?" He asked, even though he already knew.

Sasuke blinked as though confused, but didn't stop, "I'm...going home."

Itachi nodded slightly, "I see... Are you sure you can make it?" He asked tauntingly, and Sasuke immediately turned his head to glare at him, opening his mouth to argue that he could but in a second he was on the floor. The simple turning of his head was enough to make him lose his balance. Itachi stopped beside him. "You can't do this on your own, Sasuke. Let me help you." He spoke almost in a whisper now.

"I think I've had enough of your--" Sasuke paused, glaring inquisitively at the vampire, "I never told you my name."

Itachi almost smirked, but kept his composure. The boy was very sharp, even amidst his pain and confusion. "That's right, you didn't." He agreed, "Those pitiful beings at the warehouse did." Thankfully, Sasuke couldn't know that that was a lie. Of course Itachi hadn't forgotten his brother's name... But it didn't seem like Sasuke remembered him at all. It was a little disheartening, but the more he considered it, the less Itachi wanted Sasuke to remember him.

Sasuke sighed and dropped his head, laughing quietly, cynically. "Oh..." He shook his head slightly and looked up again, "Well, that doesn't matter. It doesn't change anything. I still hate you." He spat, glaring again.

Itachi could tell by Sasuke's face that he meant it. But - he told himself - feelings could change. He knelt down and pulled Sasuke to his feet, gently but swiftly. "I couldn't care less how much you like me. If you get yourself killed because I didn't bother to help you, I may as well have killed you myself."

Sasuke kept his glare, despite seeing the logic in the vampire's reasoning. He probably couldn't get very far without his help, and he didn't know how much more pushing the vampire would take before he actually listened to Sasuke and left. He didn't really want him to leave. _But I do hate him_, he assured himself. His gaze softened after a while, and he dropped his gaze, defeated, "Fine..."

Itachi couldn't help but smile, though Sasuke wasn't looking - thankfully. He had been holding Sasuke steady by his arms, and now he wrapped an arm around the boy's waist, draping Sasuke's arm over his own shoulder. He felt Sasuke tense up, but he complied and didn't back away; he was in no fit state to walk home on his own and he knew it. Sasuke wondered how long it would be before the real pain kicked in.

It took longer than was usually necessary to reach Sasuke's home, since Sasuke couldn't move very fast. He let Itachi rummage through his jacket pockets to find the key and soon they were inside. Itachi walked Sasuke over to the sofa, which he gratefully sank down into. The comfort did little to ease his pain, but at least he didn't have to hold onto the vampire now.

"Bandages?" Itachi asked bluntly, standing in front of the boy.

"First cupboard on the left." Sasuke answered quickly, pointing a thumb in the direction of his kitchen. Itachi nodded and walked through. Sasuke winced and doubled over once the vampire had left. He had been trying to hide the pain for quite some time, but it was becoming harder and he felt as though he was going to pass out. He heard footsteps coming back through, but he couldn't bring himself upright. It was too much for him now. He gritted his teeth, forehead on his knees as he struggled to cope with the pain.

Itachi knelt down in front of him and placed one hand on his shoulder, pulling him into a sitting position, "How long has it been hurting?" He asked, and by the look in his eyes Sasuke knew he couldn't lie his way out of this.

"About halfway here..." He confessed, trying to slump down again, but Itachi held him up.

Itachi's eyes narrowed, "Why didn't you tell me? I could have gotten you here faster if you told me!" Despite the anger in his voice, he seemed more like a concerned parent. When Sasuke didn't answer - he didn't really think he would - he let go of Sasuke's shoulder, and the boy immediately doubled over again, sobbing tearlessly from the pain.

Itachi looped one of his arms under Sasuke's knees, placing the other at his back and he swiftly picked him up, carrying him bridal style up the stairs. He knew he would receive no answer if he asked which was Sasuke's bedroom, so he checked the rooms in turn. It was the second one he came to, and he pushed the door open fully with his foot, setting Sasuke down on the bed. His eyes immediately went to the window to check the curtains. They were thick, probably lined with some other fabric. They would keep out the sun adequately when it rose. He moved over to pull them shut and then turned his attention back to Sasuke on the bed. The boy was writhing with pain, unable to remain still.

Itachi sat down on the bed next to him, and was almost hit in the face with a fist. He took Sasuke's arms and pinned him down, "It won't help. Just stay still."

Sasuke whimpered unhappily, but seemed to have heard Itachi well enough and had stopped struggling so much. Sasuke felt one of Itachi's hands draw back and he resisted the urge to thrash about. He stayed where he was, breathing heavily, eyes shut tight and after a while, Itachi let go with his other hand as well. "You should have…warned me about...this before." Sasuke ground out between breaths.

Itachi would have told him to think more about the more optimistic side of things; the powers he would attain afterwards, but the words would be lost to the boy. Instead, he ran a hand through the boy's hair soothingly, surprised to see that he didn't flinch. Or maybe he couldn't feel it. "Try to sleep. You'll feel fine when you wake up. Better than fine."

"Tch!" Sasuke chuckled, "Sleep!? Did you go through this!? Do you know how it feels!?" He almost started to thrash about again out of pure hopelessness, but Itachi's motions were comforting him more than he could explain. One hand was running through his hair, the other trailing lightly up and down the warm, bare skin of his right arm. Sasuke found it surprisingly easy to focus his attention on the nicer feelings and block out the pain, and even felt himself growing drowsy.

He opened his eyes slightly, resting his gaze on Itachi's eyes, which rose up to meet his. The vampire's expression was eerily blank, and it took Sasuke some time to notice that he was straddling his hips, but the thought didn't have enough time to sink in before he drifted off to sleep, his pain completely forgotten.

-

An annoying sound reached Sasuke's ears and his eyes jolted open. He glared accusingly at the window, wondering when the heck birds had gotten so loud. Still in a sleepy daze, he got to his feet and walked over to the window, placing a hand tentatively on the curtain.

"You shouldn't open those."

A voice somewhere behind him made him spin around, "Wha-- you!" Sasuke glowered at Itachi, now fully awake and it only took but a few seconds for him to realise what the vampire meant. The vampire... Well, Sasuke was one too, now. It would have been perilous if he had opened the curtains before Itachi had the time to react. The glare left his face and he sighed, moving to sit down on his dishevelled bed. "So that's it now... There's no going back, is there?" He asked with something like hope in his voice.

Itachi, who was sitting on a wooden chair in one corner of the room, shook his head. "No going back." He confirmed, and Sasuke seemed to visibly droop at that. "You can feel it though, can't you? The power surging inside you? The heightened senses..." Sasuke pretended not to listen, so he continued, "That bird woke you up, didn't it? Had that same bird sang yesterday at that same spot at that same volume, you would have slept through it."

Sasuke tilted his head to one side as though confused. "And that's...supposed to make it all better? There's a _reason_ I decided to become a hunter, and you think I can be okay with being a..." He paused, not wanting to call himself a vampire, "...with being one myself?"

Itachi shrugged indifferently, "You'll have to live with it." He said simply, already bored of trying to persuade the boy when he understood his feelings all too well. "You'll get used to the idea in time."

Sasuke scoffed, and shook his head lightly, but didn't protest. "So...what now? I have to stay in this room, with you, until it gets dark?"

"_You_ were the one who chose to come _here_." Itachi reminded him, and again Sasuke resorted to silence to save face. "Perhaps it would be easier if you go back to sleep. You'll be tired otherwise, when it gets to night."

Sasuke smirked, "What about you? Doesn't look like you've had much sleep." He said cockily, but Itachi didn't take the bait.

"I have to take care of you." He explained calmly.

Sasuke made some sort of agitated growling noise and threw himself face down into his pillow. "I thought I said I don't need your help!" Itachi heard his muffled voice.

"Then you lied. You clearly _do_ need my help." He replied, smirking back as he admired the view while Sasuke wasn't looking. "So why don't you get over yourself and your petty ego and let me?"

At that, Sasuke snapped. "This isn't about my fucking _ego_!" He shouted, jumping up and balling one hand into a fist, making to punch the elder vampire. But Itachi was still too fast for him, and caught his hand with ease, spinning him around and clutching him from behind before Sasuke had any clue what had happened.

"It's not, is it?" Itachi whispered into his ear, and a shudder made its way down Sasuke's spine, "Then _why_ won't you let me help you?"

Sasuke was lost for words. Maybe it _was_ all about his own stupid ego. This man had saved his life when Sasuke had tried to take _his_, and offered to help him, and stuck with him even though Sasuke had refused. He couldn't say that many - or anyone - would do that for him. Itachi held him there, secretly relishing the contact between them, awaiting his answer. "Get off!" Sasuke growled after a while and struggled to try and free himself, to no avail.

"And what will you do if I don't?" Itachi questioned teasingly in that same hoarse whisper.

Sasuke was once again rendered silent and he finally relaxed, knowing that he couldn't escape no matter how hard he tried. "Nothing, I suppose." He admitted glumly, for once not acting as though his life was ruined because someone bested him. Perhaps his ego needed somebody like Itachi, to bring him down a notch. "But what will _you_ do, other than let me go?" He fired back, thinking that he'd won the battle of wits.

So many thoughts rushed through Itachi's mind - so many possibilities. It took all of his will power not to give into temptation. "Touché." He replied after a pause, and reluctantly let his captor go.

Sasuke reeled away from him and sat hunched up at his headboard, staring at Itachi like he was insane, "God help me if I have to spend much longer with you, you weirdo." He glared, this time less menacingly than usual, and he shuffled to lie down and pulled his covers up over him, "I think I'll take that offer and go to sleep. And..." He trailed off, pondering over his words.

Itachi raised an eyebrow, "And..?"

"I don't know... Thanks, I guess. For helping me." He mumbled, shyly averting his gaze as though he was a child telling his parents that he'd broken something.

Itachi smiled serenely, "You're welcome." He replied, in a tone that suggested he couldn't care less, and he let out a yawn, leaning back on the chair, "Sleep well, my underling." He whispered with a smirk, wondering if Sasuke would become enraged and try to defend himself. Surprisingly, he didn't. He just ignored the elder vampire and closed his eyes to try and sleep the day away.

The elder vampire had noticed that already, Sasuke was making progress. He said he hated him, but that can't have been true, or he surely wouldn't have let him stay. He'd have thrown him out to burn in the sun. But then...perhaps Sasuke simply _needed_ Itachi, to help him, as much as he didn't want to admit that he needed the help. Tired of Sasuke's confusing emotions, Itachi rubbed his temples soothingly and closed his eyes to go to sleep as well.

-

When Itachi awoke again, Sasuke had already left the room. He sat for a short while, allowing himself to wake up and then he stood, stretching out. His bones cracked in protest from sleeping on the uncomfortable wooden chair and it made him wince. He stepped out into the small corridor and peered around and quickly figured from the lack of sound that Sasuke was downstairs. As he made his way down the steps, he heard something metallic clatter against something and a voice hissed in pain. He rushed worriedly to the kitchen, where the sound had come from, "Are you..." Itachi began, then stared, dumbfounded as Sasuke bent down to pick up a sharp knife from the kitchen floor, "...Alright?" He finished lamely.

It looked like Sasuke was trying to make breakfast - if that's what it could be called at such a time of day. "Yeah..." He murmured and sucked on his wounded thumb, "I've always been shitty at this stuff." He said off-handedly, and Itachi nodded understandingly.

"Would you like me to--"

"Help?" Sasuke finished, turning to half-glare at the elder vampire, "Would I like you to wipe my ass and help me dress? I think I can manage breakfast on my own." He chided, but unlike usual, his voice was softer, almost joking. It made Itachi laugh and Sasuke raised an eyebrow, confused as to what was supposedly funny. He shrugged to himself after deciding he wasn't going to get an answer from the chuckling older vampire, and turned back to the bench, continuing his attempt at making a meal. "What do you want to eat, anyway?" He asked without turning around.

"Whatever you're having." Itachi replied, and took a seat at the mahogany kitchen table. He wasn't a great lover of food, so anything would suffice as far as he was concerned. It was a common misconception that vampires didn't need to eat to live. It was just as vital - if not more so - as drinking blood. Of course, not many people even believed in vampires, but they were all too frighteningly real. Lost in his musings, he barely noticed when Sasuke placed a plate on the table in front of him. He looked down at the plate of mushy yellow and white foodstuffs and bit his bottom lip, "What...is this?" he asked, choosing his words carefully, wondering if it was even edible.

"Scrambled eggs." Sasuke answered as though Itachi were an idiot. He sat down across the other side of the table with his own food, and started to eat. "By the way..." He mumbled with a mouthful of food. He chewed and swallowed the rest before continuing to speak, "What's your name?" He asked, and then shovelled another forkful into his mouth, keeping his eyes on the elder vampire for a reply.

Itachi blinked. He wondered if Sasuke would remember his name... Of course, it was possible for more than one person to share a first name, but maybe Sasuke would see it as too much of a coincidence and put two and two together. He stared at his plate, shoving the food around with his fork, "Why?" He asked defensively, and started to eat, in the hope of further delaying his answer.

Sasuke stared as if he had two heads, "What do you mean _why_? If I've gotta stick with you, I'm not just gonna shout out _'hey, you'_ whenever I want your attention."

Itachi laughed quietly at that, "I guess not." He agreed and ate some more of the surprisingly tasty pile of mush, "My name is Itachi." He said bluntly, eyes flicking up to watch Sasuke's reaction.

"Itachi..." The younger boy repeated. Itachi braced himself. And then Sasuke smiled, "Right." He said and then carried on eating. Itachi relaxed, looking at Sasuke for a few more seconds to make sure he wasn't just covering his emotions, but Sasuke didn't seem bothered in the slightest.

Continuing to eat the food Sasuke had made for him, Itachi mulled over this odd turn of events. It was a mere coincidence that the two of them had met, or so he presumed. He'd known at once that it was his brother who'd started to attack him in that darkened alleyway when they'd both been trying to save an old man from a bunch of pickpockets. In all honesty, he'd been disappointed that Sasuke hadn't recognised him immediately and started to spout curses and attack with all his might. Itachi didn't think it would be so easy to just forget someone who'd murdered their whole family. It wasn't something he'd planned to do, or something he wanted to do; Itachi would have avoided it if he could. Sasuke didn't see it that way. To him, Itachi was just a killer. He swore that he would avenge his family, and Itachi left. Sasuke had the right to hate him. So why, after not all too long, did Sasuke not even recognise his brother? It was just too weird.

"...chi. Oi, Itachi!"

Red eyes flickered into focus, "Huh..?" He blinked at Sasuke's hand that was waving in front of his face, "What is it?" He asked, smacking away Sasuke's hand in agitation.

Sasuke grinned at his confused reaction, and was now perched in front of Itachi, sitting on the table, "I asked you a question, but I guess you didn't hear. You were too spaced out. I probably could've attacked you then and..." He trailed off, the hint of a smile still on his face, deciding to leave the rest of the sentence to Itachi's imagination. That wasn't a good idea.

Itachi smirked, "And not gotten very far." He said and lifted Sasuke clean off the table, pinning him down onto the floor. Sasuke blinked, dazed from the speed at which Itachi had moved. It took him a little while to realise that he was now lying on the cold kitchen floor, Itachi straddling his hips as he had been last night, pinning the younger male's hands above his head with one of his own slightly larger ones. "Or do you still think you could take my life that easily?" He challenged, arching a slender eyebrow.

"Meh..." Sasuke responded unintelligibly, blinking up at Itachi. "I don't..." He felt his face heat up and he laughed nervously, his voice cracking a bit, "What was the question again?"

Smirk still in place, Itachi bent down so that their noses were almost touching, "It wasn't that hard a question, Sasuke..." He insisted, and Sasuke could feel his breath against his face and belatedly realised that he was holding his own. The attention was nerve-wracking. Never before had anyone been this close to Sasuke, were they not trying to intimidate him.

As he struggled to think up some witty retort, willing his mind back into gear, he just stared silently. But before he had the time to recollect himself and utter any sort of reply – lucid or not – Itachi pressed their lips together in a chaste kiss with a tenderness that Sasuke didn't deem him capable. The elder vampire pulled back, eyes half lidded as he searched Sasuke's expression for any indication to stop.

But Sasuke's eyes were pleading as he looked up at Itachi, his lips slightly parted in a way that Itachi found indescribably sexy, and he'd at last remembered to breathe, but he still didn't seem completely in control of his senses. Abandoning all sense of rationality, Itachi leaned down again for another kiss, this time it was more dominating: more passionate. Sasuke's eyes drifted shut as he felt Itachi's weight settle over him and his grip on Sasuke's wrists loosened, but neither of them moved their hands.

_It's now or never. _Itachi told himself in a poor attempt to excuse his behaviour. _He'll call me a sick bastard and tell me to leave... But at least I can have him for this moment._

He bit down gently on Sasuke's bottom lip, begging entrance but not expecting to be granted it. As he guessed, Sasuke hesitated. He contemplated pulling away, telling Sasuke to forget about this and apologising, but his lust seemed to put him on autopilot, and instead he bit down harder, almost drawing blood. Sasuke gasped and that split-second was all the time it took for Itachi's tongue to slide deftly into his mouth and begin massaging the younger boy's.

Thoughts reverberated through Sasuke's head, seeming to bash against his skull, threatening to start a severe headache. _I'm not gay... What am I doing? What is _he_ doing?_ But they dissipated as quickly as they had entered, leaving him to revel in these new sensations Itachi was giving him.

And then, just as it occurred to his only-just-reacting brain to give back some effort, Itachi pulled away. Sasuke felt his comfortable weight leave him and he whimpered before he caught himself. His eyes opened slowly, as if opening them fully would truly be the end of what he just experienced.

He sat up abruptly, his mouth dropping open. Itachi was sitting at the table as though nothing had happened, sipping at a glass of water Sasuke didn't recall even giving him. Face flushed in embarrassment, he pulled himself to his feet, his legs shaking a little. "Wh-what was... Why did..." He stared down at the floor resignedly and decided to ask he first question he'd attempted to ask, only this time – with any luck – minus the stammer. "What was that all about?"

He saw Itachi tilt his head to one side, but he didn't turn or even crane his head to look at him, "What do you mean?" He asked, as though he had no clue what Sasuke was talking about. It made Sasuke mad to see him, the supposedly more mature of the two, acting so childishly, but at the same time, he was confused. Maybe it had been some weird dream. Yes, that was it. He had collapsed onto the kitchen floor and dreamed that Itachi had kissed him.

"Why did you stop?" He asked, his tone challenging as he finally managed to pull his thoughts together and regain some composure.

Itachi didn't reply at first. "I'm supposed to be helping you, not taking advantage of you." He replied, still not turning around, so Sasuke chose to move instead, and sat across the table from him as he had done when they were eating.

Still, Itachi didn't look at him. Sasuke's eyes narrowed in irritation. Was this just a stupid ploy to rile him and further rant about his _'ego issues'_? He shook his head, forcing himself to calm down. He couldn't let Itachi win – he couldn't let him prove his point yet again. "You're one sick bastard, pulling that shit..."

At that, Itachi actually seemed to respond. Something like regret graced his features, despite how hard he tried to mask it, and he intently began to study the glass in his hand.

"...Not in my house, got it?"

He didn't actually expect any sort of answer from Itachi, and he hoped that he still decided not to look up, because the look on Sasuke's face said nothing less than _"please do that again"._

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Aww, poor befuddled Sasuke! Itachi really is confusing him, about as much as Sasuke's bad memory is confusing Itachi. So what's the deal? Why doesn't Sasuke remember his own brother, who murdered his whole family? And is Itachi just playing with his little brother, or does he feel more for his sibling than perhaps he should? 

Give me lots of nice reviews, and you might just find out! ;P

Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. That is, aside from lelang. What was that about? Anyway, in response to Kyra's question, I don't really follow any particular thing in my views on vampires. I suppose it's a confused mix between reading Interview With The Vampire, the Darren Shan series and my own personal opinions on what makes sense and what doesn't.


	5. Author Update

Okay AmberStallion, you win... I'm sorry, guys, for making you wait so long! I haven't given up on this story, you may be glad to know, but I've hit a sort of rut, in that I'm not really sure where to take it. So any suggestions would be great.

In return, and as an apology to all of you who have faved this story or have it on alerts or just read it, here's a short sneak preview of chapter 5, which is still in progress... ;)

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"What happened to...not taking advantage of me?" Sasuke challenged, putting on a brave front though Itachi could undoubtedly feel his heart beating forcefully, rhythmically. He was becoming unbearably hard, but his ego refused that he asked Itachi to continue.

Itachi leaned forwards, nipping at Sasuke's left earlobe with his teeth, "Why? Do you want me to stop?" He asked, grinding their concealed erections together, drawing a mewl from Sasuke. He didn't know if he could stop now, even if Sasuke asked him to.


End file.
